Track & Field | 3/7/2015 8:39:00 PM

FINAL RESULTS

SALEM, Ore. – The sun shined bright for the Willamette Opener and so did the Western Oregon University Track & Field team highlighted by its throwers in the outdoor season-opener Saturday at McCullough Stadium.

In a three-team race on both sides, Western Oregon took home unofficial titles winning the men's meet by 49 points over host Willamette University with the women's team winning by 35 points over the Bearcats. In the final team standings, Western Oregon's men's team scored 159 points compared to Willamette (110 points) and the University of Portland (7). On the women's side, Western Oregon earned a combined 117 points outlasting Willamette (82) and Portland (39).

Amanda Short, Justin Larson, and Emmi Collier all achieved NCAA DII provisional marks. Short threw 143'11 (43.88m), which was 13 feet better than she had ever thrown the javelin before to win the event. Larson for the third year in a row opened up the season with a provisional-qualifying throw despite being the lone male javelin thrower in the event today. He will attempt to improve his 200'10 (61.22m) toss to qualify for the National Championships for the third time. Collier won the shot put 44'11.75 (13.71m), a mere 4 inches short of her personal best.

On the track, Cody Warner took away three wins in the long jump (21'0.75), 100 meter dash (10.68), and 200 meter dash (21.51). The 400 meter hurdles quartet of Audrey Hellesto (1:06.37), Sara Madden (1:07.99), Felicia Covey (1:09.21), and Laura Knudson (1:09.99) swept the top four finishing positions.

In the 800 meter run, Stephanie Stuckey and Bailey Beeson finished 1-2 with times of 2:15.58 and 2:15.73, respectively, a five-second PR for Stuckey. Parker Marson opened a big lead in the 800 meter run on the men's side with 150 meter to go, running a life-time best time of 1:55.77, but was passed at the final meter by Team Run Eugene's Beau Armstrong. Rochelle Pappel, Laura Patrick, and Suzanne Van De Grift had individual wins in the 100 meter hurdles, 100 meter dash, and 400 meter run, respectively.

Back on the field side, Kenny Klippel and Jeremy Moore finished 1-2 in the discus, while the women took the top five places in the shot put. Collier took home two victories with wins in the shot put and hammer.

"This is a great start to the season with many athletes having life-time bests and qualifying for the GNAC Outdoor Championships," said Head Coach Mike Johnson.

The Wolves will split up next week with with Badane Sultessa, Brady Beagley, and Stuckey heading to Birmingham, Alabama for the 2015 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field National Championships on Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14. The rest of the team will take part in the Saints Open hosted by Mt. Hood Community College on Saturday, March 14, in Gresham.